Air pollution: No one to act?

The air in Dhaka is unbreathable due to exorbitant pollution and dust particles in it. The capital city of Bangladesh is one of the top cities where air pollution has been spiralling out of control in recent times. Dhaka and Delhi, the capital of India, topple each other often in terms of air pollution. 

According to a global report titled ‘The State of Global Air-2019’, Bangladesh is one of the five worst countries with its entire population exposed to air pollution. Bangladesh also ranks fifth in air pollution related deaths. Nearly 123,000 people died of respiratory diseases and pollution in Bangladesh in 2017.
The air quality in Dhaka remains unhealthy round the year due to various construction works and heavy traffic. But the quality deteriorates as the winter season begins.
The heavy amount of Particle Matter (PM)-2.5 and PM 10 increases in Dhaka’s air at the time.
One of the major causes of air pollution in Dhaka is the excessive motor vehicles movement. About 300,000 vehicles ply on Dhaka streets every day. A large portion of them emit toxic gas contributing to unhealthy air quality.
There are a large number of brick kilns around the city. Those kilns also spread toxic smokes in the air by burning low quality coals and plastics.
In addition to this, many pollutants from the factories in and around Dhaka city are spread into the atmosphere daily. Also, a lot of dust is released into the air from the road construction works all year round.
Sulfur, lead, zinc and such chemical particles mixed with air are very harmful to human health, especially to children. According to a study, two-thirds of the annual deaths due to environment pollution are occurred as a result of air pollution. Air pollution causes heart and respiratory disease, lung infections and cancer. Children and women are the main victims of this pollution.
Air pollution in Dhaka has become a permanent catastrophe. The issue is covered in various media, in meetings and seminars when it turns worst during the winter, yet all go in vain at the end. No effective initiatives have ever been taken to solve the problem.
A number of organisations are working in different sectors in Dhaka metropolis. It is not known if they have any plans for eliminating air pollution though. For instance, the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation is responsible for stopping the unfit vehicles from operating on the roads that emit toxins into the air. It is the responsibility of the Department of Environment to ensure the use of environment friendly fuel in brick kilns around Dhaka while it is the city corporation that is to make the authorities concerned take measures to prevent spread of dust during the construction of roads and other construction works. It is possible to reduce the level of air pollution if these steps are taken. Sense of responsibility is necessary for this. But the question is does anyone feel the obligation?